Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

posted by martyb on Monday September 17 2018, @03:27PM   Printer-friendly
from the Why-couldn't-they-say-that-before? dept.

On September 6th, the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) made the decision to temporarily vacate the Sunspot Solar Observatory at Sacramento Peak, New Mexico as a precautionary measure while addressing a security issue. The facility closed down in an orderly fashion and is now re-opening. The residents that vacated their homes will be returning to the site, and all employees will return to work this week.

AURA has been cooperating with an on-going law enforcement investigation of criminal activity that occurred at Sacramento Peak. During this time, we became concerned that a suspect in the investigation potentially posed a threat to the safety of local staff and residents. For this reason, AURA temporarily vacated the facility and ceased science activities at this location.

The decision to vacate was based on the logistical challenges associated with protecting personnel at such a remote location, and the need for expeditious response to the potential threat. AURA determined that moving the small number of on-site staff and residents off the mountain was the most prudent and effective action to ensure their safety.

http://www.aura-astronomy.org/news/news.asp?newsID=389


Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • (Score: 2) by zocalo on Monday September 17 2018, @04:51PM (7 children)

    by zocalo (302) on Monday September 17 2018, @04:51PM (#736053)
    The "less is more" approach is probably the best way to go when you are dealing with a potential conspiracy theory waiting to happen as it leaves the theorists with nowhere to go except for unsupportable ideas that most people will probably just disregard as ravings. What happens if authority actually provides some information seems to depend on the conspiracy theorist, but the end result is generally the same; they'll come up with ever more convoluted rationales as to how anything that debunks their theory can be disregarded. That's probably extremely unhelpful in the case of those that genuinely believe in incorrect theories as it's going to push them ever closer to a serious mental issue, while those that more likely to be in it for the publicity (e.g. most of the "Flat Earth" crowd) are just going to see it as some form of challenge.

    I have no idea where that leaves the few that actually are on to something, but I suspect it involves those black helicopters that you occassionally see overhead...
    --
    UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!
    Starting Score:    1  point
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  

    Total Score:   2  
  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 17 2018, @04:59PM (5 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 17 2018, @04:59PM (#736058)

    What happens if authority actually provides some information seems to depend on the conspiracy theorist, but the end result is generally the same; they'll come up with ever more convoluted rationales as to how anything that debunks their theory can be disregarded. That's probably extremely unhelpful in the case of those that genuinely believe in incorrect theories as it's going to push them ever closer to a serious mental issue, while those that more likely to be in it for the publicity (e.g. most of the "Flat Earth" crowd) are just going to see it as some form of challenge.

    Reminds me of GR and dark matter/energy.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 17 2018, @08:44PM (4 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 17 2018, @08:44PM (#736170)

      Well, you clearly don't understand anything about GR if that's what you get out of it because that's one of the best-tested models of all time. When you're verifying predictions today that were made many decades ago because only now you have the precision to make the measurements, that's a pretty damn impressive theory.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 17 2018, @08:49PM (3 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 17 2018, @08:49PM (#736173)

        Yep, the predictions are all perfect (if you allow for otherwise undetectable matter anywhere the predictions are wrong)... how can anyone say this seriously?

        The fact is there is still zero evidence for dark matter besides GR making the wrong predictions. ZERO, and its not for lack of trying.

        • (Score: 1) by DECbot on Monday September 17 2018, @09:56PM (2 children)

          by DECbot (832) on Monday September 17 2018, @09:56PM (#736226) Journal

          You're correct. There is no such thing as dark matter. The actual solution is simple, Hawkins Radiation emits more mass than astrophysicist are ready to admit.

          --
          cats~$ sudo chown -R us /home/base
          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 17 2018, @10:20PM (1 child)

            by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 17 2018, @10:20PM (#736250)

            I woudln't have the slightest clue about if your favorite explanation is correct. But, make a prediction about something and then we can see.

            • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 18 2018, @07:02PM

              by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 18 2018, @07:02PM (#736656)

              nothing to see here, just your ol' interstellar squid feasting off some solar prominence-to-be before warping to better, less radioactive pastures. suns with orbiting planets having active neutron generation mechanisms don't make for tasty meals, it is understood ...

  • (Score: 2) by ikanreed on Monday September 17 2018, @05:07PM

    by ikanreed (3164) Subscriber Badge on Monday September 17 2018, @05:07PM (#736061) Journal

    Re black helicopters: I was gassing up by the airport this morning and saw an osprey take off(not VTOL, just off a runway).

    Because I have a half-remembered news story that they're deathtraps and were discontinued, I'm going to conclude that it was a secret government organization intent on impairing my god-given right to order chicken sandwiches from sheetz for breakfast. They're no doubt now hovering out of sight watching me eat my lunch I brought from home.

    (okay, maybe I just saw something strange and wanted to talk about it)